


Extended Stay

by stroke_of_genius



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Fluff, Percy and Annabeth never went to Circe's Island
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 13:52:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11186466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stroke_of_genius/pseuds/stroke_of_genius
Summary: A magical island free of men and responsibilities, a luxury escape for any girl who can survive the trip there. It's exactly what Piper needs. But she may have gotten a bit more than she bargained for.





	Extended Stay

There was nothing Piper hated more than standing in front of crowds. Especially when they were crowds of young, pretty spa attendants. She had always felt uncomfortable with society’s standard of beauty, especially when it came to the way women were expected look. Standing before rows of girls with shiny hair and manicured nails made Piper feel small, like she was stepping into the Aphrodite cabin for the first time all over again.

She hated that there were things expected from her based solely off perceptions of her gender, but maybe even more she hated that these gorgeous girls could intimidate her without even having any malicious intent. Piper liked to blame her mother for her unease around conventionally attractive girls, that Aphrodite’s abandonment and manipulation was the source of all her problems, but a part of her knew that wasn’t the full truth.

The sound of a voice clearing interrupted Piper’s thoughts, and she looked up to see it’s source. A tall woman with long, dark hair falling down to her waist smiled at Piper. The woman couldn’t have been past her late 20s, yet she still appeared to be the oldest in the room, and held herself with an air of dignity and all-knowing control that Piper had learned belonged exclusively to gods and lawyers, sometimes both at once.

The goddess, presumably Circe, projected her voice so that the whole room of girls could hear her speak. “Ladies, I am pleased to tell you that a new recruit will be joining our ranks today—a young demigod named Piper McLean.” She motioned her arm towards Piper, and the room broke out into excited murmurs.

Circe raised a hand, and the room silenced. “Now, I know we’re all enthusiastic about the new member, however I would ask you to please try your best to not overwhelm her, and help her ease into her new home.

“There is also the concern,” Circe glanced around the room, “of who will mentor her.”

Immediately, hands shot into the air, and Piper could see the barely-contained excitement in the spa workers’ faces. Circle looked over all the volunteers, fingers to her lips in an expression of intense focus. After a moment, she pointed to one of the few girls who didn’t have her hand raised. “Reyna Ramirez-Arellano.”

The girl in question found a way to stand even straighter, despite her already-perfect posture, tucking a strand of thick, black hair behind one ear. “Yes Ma’am?”

“You’re experienced and around the same age as Piper; you’ll be a perfect mentor.”

Reyna nodded her head, her serious expression never breaking. “I’ll begin immediately following this meeting.”

Circe quirked an eyebrow, smiling. “That would be now.” She raised an elegant arm into the air, reminding Piper of a Prima Ballerina. “You are all dismissed!”

The group of girls immediately split into all directions, chatting loudly with their friends as they walked off to do whatever it is one does at a luxury spa in the middle of nowhere.

Soon, it was just Piper and Reyna standing in the foyer. Reyna walked up to her, sticking out her hand in greeting. “It’s nice to meet you, my name is Reyna, and I’ll be your mentor for the next few weeks.”

Piper shook her hand and chuckled, though the sound came out strained, “So I’ve heard.”

Reyna gave an awkward smile in response.

Pulling her hand back, Piper rocked slightly on the balls of her feet. “So… what do I start with, mentor?”

Reyna paused for a moment, appearing to think about it, before replying, “Well, I suppose bathroom duty is as good a place as any to start.”

Piper blinked, forced smile melting off her face. “You’re… joking, right?”

Now it was Reyna’s turn to be confused, “Why would I joke about that?” she said, beginning to walk away towards where they would apparently be cleaning bathrooms this morning.

It was just Piper’s luck that she would be an apprentice to a girl who greeted her with cleaning duty. Not even a tour of the facility or a little dip in the hot springs.

She let out a deep, deep breath. “Off to cleaning bathrooms we go, then.”

 

* * *

 

“You know,” Piper said through gritted teeth as she scrubbed the last of the mirrors in one of the spa bathrooms, “this wasn’t really what I expected when I joined an all-girls luxury resort and spa.”

From nearby, Reyna was polishing the metal spouts of the sinks. “What _did_ you expect?"

Piper huffed. “I don’t know like… lounging by the beach and getting massages and stuff.”

“There’s time to relax after work is completed.”

Rolling her eyes, Piper stepped back to look at the mirror. Dammit, it was still smudged. “Y’know Reyna, you don’t really fit the typical ‘spa attendant’ personality. Aren’t they supposed to be super easy going and flowy and personable?”

Reyna looked over at her, and Piper could have sworn a look of hurt flashed in her eyes. Immediately, Piper felt bad for being so rude with a girl she just met. “Well, we don’t receive a significant amount of customers, so Circe can get away with me doing busywork or aiding clients in things that don’t require speaking.”

Continuing, Reyna said, “And if you must know, I can be plenty personable when I want to be.”

Piper raised an eyebrow, smile forming as she saw her opportunity. “So you’re telling me that, as long as you make the choice to do so, you can lighten up and have fun?”

“Yes I am.”

“I don’t believe it.” Piper fought to contain her laugh when Reyna’s eyes narrowed, her eyebrows furrowing together.

“Are you challenging your superior, McLean?”

Piper stepped away from the mirror, stuffing her rag into the pocket of her uniform-required skirt. “So what if I am?”

Reyna put down her own cleaning supplies, walking up to Piper until they were merely inches apart. “I’ll show you just how much fun I can be, Piper McLean.”

Crossing her arms, Piper looked down at Reyna. “Hate to break it to you, but an empty bathroom isn’t exactly the best place to show off just how much you can relax and have a good time.” Piper paused. “Well, not the type of good time we’re talking about at least, unless we’ve had two totally different mindsets over the course of this conversation.”

Reyna pointed a finger at Piper. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, McLean.”

“What? I’m not doing anything.”

Growling, Reyna said, “Circe’s Cove, northeastern side of the island, fifteen minutes.” Then she turned, snatched up her cleaning supplies off of the sink, and stormed out.

Piper couldn’t help feeling amused as she watched Reyna leave. Maybe she’d have some fun with her mentor after all.

 

* * *

 

Though a spa, there was an evident appreciation for the Earth’s natural beauty in the way Circe built her resort. Outside the spa’s main building, small paths wound through gardens and forests, birds singing as the ever-blooming cherry blossoms released petals to the wind.

Soaking all of this in, Piper could only think of how in the gods’ names was she supposed to find this damn hot spring. The bare skin of her feet ached with pain from pushing against the stone path leading to Circe’s Cove, though after at least ten minutes of walking with nothing but trees in sight, she began to doubt the word of the spa attendant she had asked.

She swatted at a mosquito as it landed on her arm, letting out a sound of disgust. It seemed that even Circe’s magic couldn’t keep pests off the island.

Still focused on the smudge of bug blood on her arm, Piper didn’t realize the ground beneath her had shifted lower until her body was falling forward, her balance disoriented. Rocky earth hurtled toward her, and a strange noise escaped her mouth that sounded like something along the lines of “AUAGHYG,” though Piper was so distressed in the moment that she couldn’t say for sure.

Then arms were around her and the world righted itself.

Piper looked up at her savior and found Reyna staring down, a bewildered look on her face.

“Piper? What are you doing falling down stairs? The ground in this area is all stone; you could have gotten a concussion or worse if I wasn’t here. And why aren’t you wearing any shoes?”

Piper blinked slowly, not really processing what Reyna was saying, and instead staring at how the sun created a halo of light around her head. In that moment, Reyna reminded Piper of a goddess, except instead of magical attractiveness and haughty expressions, there was genuine beauty. The kind that was more than how long your lashes were, the kind that lasted.

“Is there something on my face?” Reyna asked.

Piper jerked back to reality. “What?”

“You were looking at me strangely.”

“Was not.”

Reyna let go of Piper, seemingly remembering that she was angry with her. Piper cursed herself, then cursed herself for cursing herself. Damn pretty girls, swooping her up in their arms and throwing her off her game.

“Now,” Reyna said, crossing her toned arms, “Let’s have some fun.”

  **** ****

* * *

 

“Hmmm,” Piper mused, sprawled out across one of the reclining lawn chairs surrounding the cove. The overhanging cliffs provided plenty of shade, and sounds of the waterfall crashing into the cove left her eyelids heavy. Beside her, Reyna sat at the edge of the water, wringing out her damp hair. Piper eyed the girl in all her bathing-suit-clad glory, thinking up what to make her do next.

“I dare you to jump off one of the cliffs into the water,” Piper finally said.

Reyna turned, sun making the droplets of water on her skin glow. “You can’t be serious.”

“What? It’s adventurous, bold, fun. Anyone can jump off a rope swing or do an underwater handstand but this,” Piper grinned, “this takes guts.”

Reyna sighed, pushing herself up. “Why do I feel like this is more a show of how much fun you can have.”

Piper laughed, watching Reyna walk by. “Don’t worry, after this we can go back to scrubbing toilets or whatever.” Then she yawned, closing her eyes and making a show of arching her back. But when she opened her eyes, Reyna was already at the base of the stairs leading up the cliffside. Dammit.

She watched as Reyna climbed up the stairs, nearing the crest of the waterfall. Once Reyna reached the top, standing where big clouds of water vapor were rising into the air, Piper saw her cup her hands around her mouth and shout something.

Piper stood up from her chair and took a few steps closer to the edge of the water.

“WHAT?” She screamed, loud as she could, hoping Reyna could hear her.

It must’ve worked, because a few moments later she heard a distant, “I HATE YOU.” Piper chuckled, walking back and settling in the lawn chair.

If Reyna were to be admired for anything, it was her undaunted attitude towards any challenge presented. She took a few steps back from the cliff’s edge, then ran at full speed, jumping off into the water feet-first. Hitting the bay with a loud splash, Reyna was submerged in an instant, sending water flying from her point of contact.  
  
Before she has even realized it, Piper was standing up, cheering and hollering from the second Reyna jumped to the moment her head popped out of the water.

Reyna swam over to where Piper was, lifting herself onto the ground with a grace that made Piper jealous; she could barely get out of a swimming pool without a ladder, let alone a steep rocky basin.

Smiling, Piper said, “I have to admit, that was pretty impressive.”

“I think it's time to head back to the spa.” Reyna said, swiping sopping hair from her eyes. “I've more than proved how much fun I am.”

“You know what Reyna? I actually agree.”

 

* * *

 

“Why did you decide to join the spa?” Reyna asked, sitting on one of the plush chairs in the spa’s atrium.

Piper had just returned from a long day of training, and it took a moment for her to register Reyna’s question. “It’s kind of a long story, and not all that interesting of one.”

Reyna shrugged. “If you don’t mind, I’d still like to hear it.”

Shifting her position on a chaise lounge, Piper said, “Well, I guess realized I had abandoned all my friends in favor for being with this guy, but I wasn’t really ever in love with him, and was just kind of with him because it felt like it was what I was supposed to do? I dunno; it was weird.

“So I had pushed everyone I cared about away and was feeling like shit, but every time I tried to talk to my dad about it, he was too busy with work to listen, which was sort of the cherry on top.”

Reyna nodded solemnly, “I understand, my own father was… not a good man. He almost killed my sister.”

“Wait, what? Seriously?”

“I wouldn't joke about something like that.”

Piper blew out a breath, “Damn, and here I am going off about being a lonely spoiled brat. I’m so sorry Reyna, I don’t… I can’t even begin to imagine what that was like. I wish there was something I could do-”

Reyna waved a hand, “It’s in the past; don't worry yourself too much about it. Please, finish your story.”

“Well, alright, but I want to hear about your old life sometime soon,” Piper said. She shook off her surprise and continued, “So I broke up with my boyfriend, who was my only friend left, leaving me completely alone. And I kind of just decided, ‘Screw it! I’ll run away to someplace where I can get rid of my old responsibilities and baggage and have fun.’ Then I remembered an old friend talking about how she had passed by this place, but never gone inside, so I prayed to my mother for guidance and set fucking sail.”

Piper gestured around the room. “And here I am”

Reyna smiled. “And here you are.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, Piper mulling over how to ask Reyna more about her past. Eventually, Piper sat up in the chaise, drawing Reyna’s attention, and asked, “If you’re okay with sharing, how did you end up here? You can gloss over the, uh, darker parts, if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Reyna shifted.“It is not my favorite thing to discuss, but I can share a bit,” she said. “It happened a long time ago, when my sister Hylla and I were children.

“My mother is the roman goddess Bellona, so my sister and I were raised by our father. He was a war veteran and he… well, though he left Iraq, it never quite left him. We were too young, and we were his daughters, so I never learned what it was that had him waking up screaming in the night. Sometimes, he’d be fine, but others… it was like he was a completely different person.”

Piper leaned in as Reyna told the story, realizing just how little she knew about this person who had mentored her these past few weeks, how she had never asked. She had assumed Reyna was a demigod like her, but never questioned her parentage, never thought about the girl behind the instruction.

Reyna continued, “As I grew up, it got worse. He became obsessed with the idea he was being spied upon, became paranoid of everyone and everything. One night, when my sister and I returned late, something in him snapped. He knocked out Hylla. Most of my memories of him are fuzzy, but sometimes that one seems more vivid than reality.”

As Reyna spoke, Piper could hear her voice getting quieter, raspier, and Reyna’s fists clenched the fabric of her dress. Her eyes were unfocused, and it seemed as if she wasn’t all there. Still, she continued, her breathing getting deeper and deeper as she told her story.

“I don’t why- And I just- I thought- I didn’t know that he, or she, or I or-” Tears began to coalesce in Reyna’s eyes, and Piper was across the room in an instant, her hands covering Reyna’s, years of practice comforting hurt friends kicking in.

“Reyna, it’s okay, you don’t have to say anymore, you’re going to be alright,” Piper’s voice was steady and calming, and she realized she had unconsciously used Charmspeak. The tears in Reyna’s eyes were blinked away, and her breathing became more even, but Piper couldn’t help the guilt that wracked her. Yes, Reyna felt better, but at what cost?

But Piper didn’t say anything about her Charmspeak; that could wait for another day. Instead, she just sat there, holding Reyna’s hands, quietly telling her that the past was in the past, that Piper was here for her now.

 

* * *

 

“So which one’s your sister?” Piper asked, walking side by side with Reyna, carrying a platter of food. There were the rare downsides of living on a magic island, but the meals were definitely not one of them. The kitchens were open at all times, and Circe had magic spirits running them, always ready to fulfill an order.

Currently, Reyna and Piper were walking past an outside courtyard where most of the spa attendants sat, gossiping and laughing over lunch. Reyna looked around, straining her neck to see as much as she could, until her eyes lit up. “There she is, she’s the one under the palm tree, to the left of Circe.”

Piper turned in the direction Reyna pointed, squinting against the sun. Finally, she saw the figure Reyna had described.

While Reyna stood out from most of the girls on the island with her simplicity, wearing a basic white chiton and her hair braided down one shoulder, her sister Hylla was dressed up as much as Circe herself.

Though Hylla had the same dark hair Reyna did, hers was curled with pearls forming a diadem around her head. Her dress was floor-length and elaborate, and jewelry was draped around her neck. She looked like she should be at a celebrity dinner party, not having a lunch picnic on an island. But Circe seemed to be laughing at a joke Hylla made, so she must have been doing something right.

Piper hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say to Reyna. “Your sister is very... glamorous. Very different from you.”

Turning back to Reyna, Piper saw her raise an eyebrow. “Wow, thanks.”

Piper froze in place, scared she had offended Reyna. “That’s not what I- I mean I’m-”

Reyna smiled, letting out a small chuckle. “I was joking. Blame your own influence.”

Regaining composure immediately, Piper continued walking next to Reyna. “I was just surprised that someone who was related to you could actually make someone laugh.”

“What do you mean? Am I not the most witty and charming girl on this island?”

“Actually, I take my previous statement back, that was hilarious.”

“Mission accomplished, then.”

Piper narrowed her eyes as they sat down at a circular table, reaching over and stealing one of Reyna’s grapes.

Reyna’s mouth went agape at the thievery. “Rude. What was that for?”

“It was for being the literal worst,” Piper said, still chewing on the grape.

“Next time you trip, I’m letting you crack your skull on a rock.”

 

* * *

 

_Why the fuck are there so many types of braids?_

This thought repeated over and over again as she watched Reyna work, pretending to listen to the detailed instructions of how much hair per section she should take when doing a Dutch braid, and how it differed from a milkmaid one. The lesson itself would have physically pained Piper to actually pay attention to, so instead she focused on Reyna herself.

Nimble fingers perfectly intertwined strands of hair as Reyna spoke, exampling her instruction to Piper on a wig-covered mannequin head. Even without listening to the words themselves, her voice had a calming thrum to it, a sort of annunciated and projected ease that reminded Piper of the audiobooks she would listen to on long car rides as a child.

When she would read words off of a page, Piper could never concentrate; the letters would get jumbled into a mess and make it impossible to read. But when she listened to stories, everything made sense, and confused chaos would turn into clarity.

That’s sort of how it was living on this island. Some days, she felt lost, wondering what she was doing and what it meant for her. But then she’d see Reyna, and it was like standing in the eye of the storm, a peace where the swirling turmoil couldn’t reach.

“Now, I want you to practice a french braid on me,” Reyna said, voice snapping Piper out of her thoughts.

“I hope you like messy couture.”

Reyna snorted, sitting down in a chair facing away from Piper. Taking a breath, Piper placed her hands under Reyna’s hair.

Then realized she had no clue what she was doing. She stared for a moment at the dark strands in her hands, trying to remember anything Reyna had said in her lesson. Drawing a blank, Piper began layering parts of hair, praying that being a daughter of Aphrodite meant that she’d have some natural talent or instinct with this.

Unfortunately, it seemed Piper didn’t inherit that particular trait. She was trying to think up some sort of excuse as to why she hadn’t been listening to Reyna, or at least a way to end the lessons for the day, when Reyna asked, “Are you finished, Piper?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Silence.

“Can you show me how it turned out?”

Piper hesitated. “Um, sure.” She picked up a mirror lying on the table nearby, reluctantly handing it to Reyna, who took it from her with a suspicious glance.

There was a pause as Reyna stared at herself, and Piper couldn’t help wincing at the monstrosity. Hair stuck up in all directions, knotted and tangled locks making Reyna look like she had been living in a barn for a year. Slowly, to Piper’s shock, the corners of Reyna’s mouth turned upward, until a chuckle escaped her quirked lips.

Finding a grin spread across her own face, Piper let out a snicker. Then Reyna snorted, and they both lost control. Laughter flooded the room, Piper doubling over as tears formed in her eyes, Reyna wheezing as she tried, and failed, to run a hand through her hair.

Suddenly, the door opened, and on the other side stood Circe, tall and elegant, her perfectly shaped brows furrowed. Immediately, Piper and Reyna went silent.

“Girls, is there a problem in here? I heard some strange noises and wanted to check in to make sure everything was all right.”

Piper glanced at Reyna, and their eyes met. Unable to contain themselves, they burst into another peal of laughter, only encouraged by Circe’s confused expression.

“I’ll leave you two to it, then.”

 

* * *

 

Weather on the island was regulated by Circe, similar to how Camp Half Blood’s magical border kept out the more severe storms. Today, it seemed, Circe felt like giving her girls heat stroke.

There weren't any air conditioners in the spa; rarely were they ever needed, but today the effects of their absence was felt by all. Spa attendants laid around, fanning themselves and wearing next to nothing. Piper had even seen a girl working nowhere near the pools walking around in a bathing suit

And, of course, it would be the day Reyna insisted they have a beach picnic.

“All the girls are trying to stay out of the sun or in the water, which means the beach itself is completely empty,” Reyna had argued after Piper groaned about the heat. “There won't be a better day for weeks.”

After much complaining, Piper finally agreed, so long as they brought a beach umbrella with them.

When she finally reached the point Reyna had specified around noon, Piper couldn't help but grin at the sight that met her eyes. Reyna had set up a huge checkered blanket, shaded almost completely by one of the spa’s large white umbrellas. Across the blanket was a spread that was way too much for two people to eat, with Reyna hovering above it all, her meticulous eye making sure everything was in its place.

“Aye, Reyna!” Piper called, walking over to their picnic spot. Reyna looked up at her and smiled, and she could've sworn her heart skipped a beat.

“How is it?” Reyna asked, motioning her arms at the setup.

“It's wonderful. And also blazing hot.”

Reyna chuckled, patting a space next to her on the blanket. “Can't win them all, I suppose.”

For a while, they sat there, eating and chatting as the occasional breeze blew their way. After a short period of silence, Piper asked a question that had been nagging her for far too long.

“Hey Reyna, you ever kiss someone?”

Reyna froze, and Piper saw her ears go just the slightest bit red. “Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering.”

“Um, no, I haven't. I was too young to date before I came here, and after, well, I guess I just was never really interested in someone,” Reyna said, tucking a dark strand of hair behind her ear.

“Never?” Piper asked, and she couldn't help the trickle of disappointment in her voice.

“Oh, well, ah. Hm.” Reyna’s face was now completely red, and Piper felt a spark of hope in her chest.

“Hmm?” Piper leaned in close to Reyna, their arms touching as she angled herself to better see her.

“There, uh, may be one person. Who I like. Enough to kiss, that is.”

Piper bit her lip and, feeling brave, fully turned toward Reyna until she was almost sitting in her lap. “Then why haven't you?”

“I guess I was being a bit of a coward.”

Piper cupped Reyna’s cheek in her hand, her voice lowering to a whisper barely audible over the crashing waves. “Well, sometimes things can be scary.”

“And sometimes the scariest things are also the best.” Reyna smiled, her voice matching Piper’s volume.

Then she leaned in, her lips finding Piper’s, and suddenly Piper was in the eye of the storm. There was no sound or light or movement, just the feeling of rightness, like the final piece of the puzzle that made up Piper had been laid.

And maybe it was because the kiss was so perfect that Piper said was she did when they pulled apart.

“I have charmpseak.”

“Wh- what?” Reyna seemed dazed, like the kiss had short-circuited her brain functions.

“I have charmspeak. It's a blessing of Aphrodite. I can… make people do things when I tell them to.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

Piper bit her lip that just moments before had been joined with Reyna’s, looking at the checkered pattern beneath her.

Reyna had sobered up, now. “Piper, have you ever used it on me?”

That ice in her voice pierced through Piper; it wasn't a sound she had heard for months, a sound she had hoped to never hear again.

“I asked, McLean, if you had ever used charmspeak on me.”

Oh gods oh no she used her last name what had she done she shouldn't have said anything she should have-

“If you're not going to answer me, I'm heading back to the spa.” Reyna rose to leave, but Piper’s hand shot up and grabbed her arm.

“No- I- I only used it once or twice, and in the moment it was completely accidental, and you weren't feeling well and I was only trying to help and oh gods I’m so sorry-”

Reyna covered her face with her free hand, letting out a deep sigh. “And you're only telling me about it now?”

Piper’s body couldn't move. For once, she has no idea what to do or what to say.

“I’m sorry for dragging you out here on such a hot afternoon. I’ll pack up the leftovers and be on my way.”

And instead of trying to explain herself or say she’d go into the fucking Sahara desert if it meant being with Reyna, Piper just sat there. Silent. Helpless.

Reyna finished packing up her basket and rose, walking back to the spa without another word.

Piper buried her hands in her face.

“Fuck.”

 

* * *

 

The following week was the worst of Piper’s life.

Worse than her breakup with Jason, or getting arrested, or almost dying countless of times. It all paled in comparison to waking up in the morning and having no clue what she was going to do, why she was even here. Whenever she saw Reyna, a fresh bout of pain coursed through her.

Piper knew she should try and talk to Reyna, to explain herself and apologize, to beg for forgiveness, but every time she so much as thought there was a possibility of Reyna being in the room, Piper was wracked with guilt and terror over what she had caused. Yes, maybe they would come to an understanding and Reyna would forgive her. Or maybe she’d just take the opportunity to say how disgusted she was with Piper to her face.

Ultimately, though, it wasn’t Piper or Reyna’s bravery that had them finally confront one another.

One morning, while Piper was pulling on a pair of yoga pants (spa dress code be damned), she noticed a note lying on her bedside table. Picking it up, she read,

**Piper,**  
**You have been reassigned for the day. You will be working on folding towels in the east wing’s laundromat until noon, when your schedule will resume as per usual.**  
**-Circe**

Piper sighed, crumpling the note and tossing it into a trash bin in the corner of her room. Slipping an old band t-shirt, one of the few belongings she had brought with her to the island, over her head, she headed out towards the east wing.

It was hard not be reminded of Reyna everywhere she went. All of the halls held some memory of them together, and even the small things like a brush or a braid made Piper’s chest ache.

As she walked, a couple girls waved and greeted her, but she barely acknowledged them, too distracted by her thoughts and the effort it took to stand, to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving.

She reached the laundromat, pushing the door open with a heave. Inside stood Reyna and her sister Hylla.

Reyna turned at the sound of Piper’s entrance. When she saw Piper, her eyes widened, and she cast an accusing glare at Hylla, who was grinning from ear to ear.

Hylla began walking around Piper, sealing off any route of escape as she said, “Since I know you two are such good friends, I asked Circe to assign you both to folding duty.” Hylla winked, pulling open the door. “It was the least I could do for my dear sister.”

Then she was gone, leaving Piper and Reyna alone.

They stood there for a moment in silence, neither moving or meeting the other’s eyes. Piper opened her mouth to speak, but before any noise could come out, Reyna blurted, “I’m sorry.”

Piper couldn't have heard that right. “What?”

“I overreacted on the beach. I never let you explain yourself and got too wrapped up in my own head.”

“No! I mean, no; it was my fault. You were right; I should've told you sooner.”

Reyna bit her lip. “Then why didn't you?”

“I guess… I felt guilty about it, and was already furious with myself. I didn't want you to be angry with me, too.”

Reyna took a step closer. She was looking at Piper now, not shying away from eye contact. “And you really didn't mean to manipulate me with your power?”

“Never. It was an accident the few times I used it, and I always felt awful.”

Reyna was quiet for a minute. Piper debated saying anything, wracking her brain for something she could do to make it all better, when Reyna spoke.

“I missed you.”

Piper smiled, fighting back tears. “I missed you too. And again, I’m so sorry.”

“I forgive you. Just, if it ever happens again, tell me right after.”

Piper took a sharp intake of breath. “Does this mean… we’re all good?”

Reyna chuckled. “We’re all good.” Outstretching a hand towards Piper, she asked, “Shall we get to work folding these towels then?”

Accepting the hand, Piper intertwined her fingers with Reyna’s, and wasn't able to contain a giggle as she replied, “We shall.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading my fic, and I hope you enjoyed! This was my story for the pjo femslash minibang, and I'm fairly happy with how it came out. Comments and kudos make my day!


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